Comments on: SPF Boosters: Hidden chemical sunscreens in “mineral sunscreens”

By: India

India — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 09:35:59 +0000

I have really sensitive skin with rosacea and cystic acne. I’ve tried sooo many SPFs, chemical, hybrid and mineral (after reading this, they’re basically hybrids too). I was wondering if you have any suggestions for SPFs great for acne-prone sensitive skin that are mineral that don’t contain either Shea butter/oils/petrolatum/beeswax as these seem to also break me out. Honestly struggling and feel like succumbing to the sun at this rate. I’m super pale so white cast isn’t so much an issue.

I’ve also tried to combine a list of everything that’s broke me out (often in yellow pustules or red rashes or painful under skin cysts) and can’t find any common ingredient to avoid. Would be eternally grateful if your science hat has any insight on this too? (Tried and failed: Scinic mineral spf50, Garnier UV hylauranic acid fluid, Colourscience classic spf50, Bioderma photoderm aqua fluid spf50, Bondi sands face spf50, Rounda green tea spf 50, La Roche Posay anthelios liquid (frustratingly seems to be everyone’s holy grail), Eucerin oil control SPF 50 (loved it at first and then super painful cysts), Purito daily go to and Purito Soft touch (which surprised me as their original centella back before the scandal seemed ok). I do feel like the reactions aren’t as bad with the ‘mineral’ ones.

Thank you so much,
Big fan,

India

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 19:27:51 +0000

Thanks for this, you solved a mystery for me. My rosacea reacts to many (most?) chemical sunscreens, so I don’t (knowingly) use them. I took Hero Force Shield on vaca with me b/c of the green, the consistency, the mineral-ness, and b/c it is one my husband actually likes to use. And I had a persistent, angry flare the whole time we were away that my dr prescribed cream could not knock back. I blamed everything BUT the Hero. Came home, husband stole the remainder of the Hero and poof! rosacea is calming down. I’m guessing it’s the butyloctyl salicylate.

By: Michelle Wong

Michelle Wong — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 05:01:50 +0000

In reply to Natalie.

This article should help: https://labmuffin.com/us-sunscreens-arent-safe-in-the-eu-with-video/

By: Natalie

Natalie — Wed, 29 May 2024 00:30:04 +0000

Hi Michelle

Thanks so much for this article, and for everything you do – you are so good at breaking down science in a way I can understand.

You mention UV filters and pregnancy here, but it would really good to know more about the science behind how great the risks actually are.

I finally found a mineral sunscreen I actually like to use while pregnant, but it contains Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene. It sounds like the risk is low, but I would love to understand the science better so I can make an informed choice.

By: J

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 07:13:48 +0000

Thank you for this information! I’m wondering if you could share more about the claims that you need to use mineral sunscreens when pregnant. I’m considering trying to conceive soon and honestly can’t imagine going back to mineral after discovering so many cosmetically elegant Japanese sunscreens that use chemical filters…

By: amanda

amanda — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 06:50:01 +0000

I have been checking this more assiduously and yes, so many out there adding butyloctyl salicylate but claiming to be a mineral sunscreen. Generally less than 20% zinc oxide (if there’s also no titanium dioxide) almost always means there’s significant butyloctyl salicylate included.

By: Guest

Guest — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 20:02:57 +0000

This makes a so much sense! I’ve tried lots of mineral sunscreens in the last few years, and I was shocked how many of them irritated my skin and eyes. I double checked the ingredients of the worst offenders and, sure enough, all of them have butoctyl salicylate in them.

By: Anna

Anna — Sat, 07 Jan 2023 05:42:15 +0000

Thank you Michelle! I’m so glad to know my bs detector was working as it should when I saw butyloctyl salicylate start popping up in multiple mineral sunscreens. It is really disappointing that companies would resort to this though.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 16:14:22 +0000

Thank you, Michelle, for this awesome article! I discovered in the past year that I’m actually allergic to chemical sunscreen filters. I’m not sure which one(s) specifically, but I know that when I wear them and then go out in the sun, I get allergic reactions that include hives on my face (that kinda look like cystic pimples except for how quickly they form) and swollen, burning, watery eyes that no eye drops or allergy meds will fix, and then the eye pain and discomfort will eventually lead to debilitating migraines. It took forever for me to figure out that chemical sunscreens were the cause of it because the reaction doesn’t happen immediately and rather once there’s been sun exposure, so now I only use mineral sunscreens. Since I’m not positive which chemical filter causes this, I’m really disappointed that some of these 100% mineral sunscreens are using deceptive tactics- the new Good Molecules sunscreen specifically comes to mind.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:42:09 +0000

In reply to Jeannie. How interesting! I wasn't aware of the Colorescience change, glad to hear about that - although I did recently see an Australian article where a dermatologist recommended it as a sunscreen, with the SPF 50+ rating which is concerning.